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"Drop that plate right now" was the command hurled at 90-year-old Arnold Abbott on Sunday before he was charged with violating Florida law. His crime: feeding Fort Lauderdale's homeless. Abbott and two pastors, Dwayne Black and Mark Sims, were cited for disobeying a new city ordinance that effectively bans public food sharing, which could lead to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine for each, Local 10 reports. Abbott, who runs the nonprofit Love Thy Neighbor and has been feeding the homeless for more than 20 years, had served up just a handful of meals in Stranahan Park when he was stopped, the Sun-Sentinel reports. "I'm going to have to go to court again and sue the city of Fort Lauderdale," he tells Local 10. "These are the poorest of the poor, they have nothing. ... How do you turn them away?" By "go to court again," Abbott refers to a 1999 lawsuit—which he won—that he brought against the city for the exact same reason.

The new ordinance puts more stringent restrictions on how the homeless can be fed—for instance, food providers must offer toilet facilities, something Abbott can't manage, Fox News reports. Vocal supporters for the law include Mayor Jack Seiler, who tells the Sun-Sentinel, "I'm not satisfied with having a cycle of homeless in [the] city of Fort Lauderdale. Providing them with a meal and keeping them in that cycle on the street is not productive." Cal Deal, a retired journalist who records homeless people around town, agrees. "The people feeding them are enablers," he tells the New Times Broward-Palm Beach. "Hunger is a big motivator. Are people more likely to seek help when they're hungry or when they're fed and happy?" Rev. Black acknowledges the city's homeless problem but tells the Sun-Sentinel, "Let's just feed them and then deal with other issues." (In Houston, a homeless veteran got ticketed for looking for food in the trash.)

Please consider donating to help Arnold Abbott with his legal expenses. Donations can be made at: gofund.me/ArnoldAbottDefense Additionally, please pass this link along via your social media as the more people who see this story, the more we can help this great man. Damon Wells

WiseMadonnaOfTheFlies

Nov 7, 2014 7:41 PM CST

This law is not just cruel and ridiculous it's DISTURBING. I find it to be one of the more disturbing laws I've ever heard of. It's unnatural and creepy. Trying to create a world where people cannot turn to their fellow man for help or to help your fellow for fear of punishment is a SCARY turn of events. I would REALLY like something to be organized to protest this law. Similar to when Gandhi protested by collecting salt. THis law is repugnant and we need to protest it in a MASS FEEDING of the homeless down in Fort Lauderdale. I'm all the way up in Pacific NW but I would GLADLY head down and get myself arrested a long with others if we could create a big enough protest to bring more attention this and END it. We need to do this now before more of this creepy fascist bullshit spreads!

Damon Wells

Nov 7, 2014 1:46 PM CST

If you would like to help Mr. Abbott in his legal fight against the City of Ft. Lauderdale, please donate to the following fundraiser: http://funds.gofundme.com/dashboard/ArnoldAbottDefense Please also share via your social media and email as the more people who read and donate the more we can all help this man.